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UDONIS Haslem sees Bam Adebayo taking over as leader in the Miami Heat locker room, counting on the young forward not only to elevate his game, but to give the team a boost as well.
“That’s what I’ve been shaping Bam for, to be that leader,” said Haslem, who is set for his 18th season with the Heat.
Adebayo, meanwhile, has signed a five-year extension that will be worth at least 163 million dollars.
“Not just to take his game to the next level, but to take his teammates to the next level,” Haslem added.
As fifth seeds in the Eastern Conference, the Heat reached the NBA Finals, where they bowed to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Haslem, a three-time NBA champion, acted as a mentor to players like Adebayo, who is now expected to lead the way for the youngsters, including the 20th pick Precious Achiuwa.
“He spent the whole summer with me. He spent the whole summer with me exercising, he spent the whole summer with me training, talking about basketball, thinking about basketball, ”Haslem said.
“He spent it with me talking about basketball, thinking about basketball, training. The next step for Bam is to be that leader for everyone and understand everyone. “
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